Magic's Love
by theshadowcat
Summary: Maggie and Abe are still in love and it's almost Valentine's Day. The sixth in the 'Magic' series. Please R&R. Complete!
1. Feb 13 Maggie

**Author's note**: Ok gang, Maggie's back again. You know the drill, if you haven't read 'Magic,' 'The Magic Returns,' and 'Magic's Promise,' please go do so now. I'll wait.

**Disclaimer**: Hellboy and Company are owned by someone else, not me. 'My Heart Will Go On' is the love theme from the movie 'Titanic' and is also owned by someone else, not me. 'The First of Octember' was written by Dr. Suess, and since I'm not related to the late doctor, someone else owns it, not me.

* * *

"Here you go," she says, returning to the table with a three ring binder.

"What's this?" I ask, knowing I don't really want the answer.

"It's the song list," she answers.

"No," I tell her. "Absolutely not."

"Come on," she pleads. "It's my birthday. You've got to."

"I don't care if it's Groundhog's Day," I respond. "I'm not doing it."

"It'll be fun," she says.

"Sharon, what in the world makes you think getting up in front of a bunch of strangers and singing some cheesy song is going to be fun?" I ask her. "Besides, you know I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket."

"Please," she whines. "Pretty please, with sugar on top."

"You want some cheese to go with that whine?" I retort.

"I'll tell Grandmother that you haven't invited me to the wedding," she threatens.

"I'll tell Grandmother that you dragged me to a karaoke bar," I counter. Considering Grandmother thinks that karaoke will be mankind's undoing, mine's the better threat.

"When do I get to meet Abe?" she asks.

She's been doing this all evening. At random times, throughout the evening, she's been asking about Abe. I guess she's hoping I'll just cave in and take her to meet him. Somehow, I don't think even Grandmother could get this past Manning.

After our little confrontation last month, he's been trying to regain control over Abe. He even went so far as to deny me access to the bureau. Abe refused to eat or talk to any one for three days after that. Luckily, Manning rescinded his order after Hellboy threw a few well placed punches. I understand they're still remolding Manning's office.

Guillermo got most of the flack for Abe getting out last time. Manning even tried to have him deported. Funny thing is Guillermo has duel citizenship, so that plan blew up in Manning's face.

"The First of Octember," I tell her. My mother used to love to read me that book when ever I wanted everything I saw on TV. Dr. Suess was a genius.

Sharon scowls at me and grabs the binder and opens it. She flips through several pages before she finds the artist she's looking for. I sip my drink and watch her.

Sharon has an incredible voice, and I can see why she likes to occasionally strut her stuff, but me? I'd clear the room before the end of the first line. And quite frankly, I'm not really big on being in front of a crowd. I barely passed my speech classes in college as it was. Those were required. Making a fool of myself in front of a bunch of half drunken strangers isn't.

"What about this one?" she asks as she points to a song title.

"'My Heart Will Go On,'" I read. "Pretty song. Have fun."

"I meant for you to sing," she says in exasperation.

"I'm not drunk enough," I reply. "And by the time I am drunk enough, not only will I not be able to stand, I won't be able to see the words on the screen."

She glares at me for a minute and then sighs. Most people would take this as a sign of defeat, but I know my cousin too well. She's only getting started.

"Why haven't I been invited to the wedding?" she sulks. She's trying something new. Great, now I have to think.

"No one has been invited to the wedding," I tell her. "For heaven's sake, Sharon, it's only February. The wedding isn't until June."

"Grandmother should have sent out 'Save the Date' cards by now," she points out.

"It's going to be a small quiet ceremony," I tell her.

"Ok, what is going on with this family?" she demands. "First, Grandmother calls off the wedding without giving any reason and now you say she's planning a small quiet ceremony. What is going on? Grandmother doesn't do small or quiet."

"Abe and I just want a something small," I answer. "He's not really into big crowds."

"And Grandmother is ok with this?" she asks.

"Oddly enough, yes, she is," I reply.

At this point, the conversation is interrupted by people starting to clap. It seems someone else has decided to brave the karaoke machine. I turn and look. I get quite the eye full. A very beautiful woman wearing a very low cut top and a skirt that's so short that if she bends over the world will be her gynecologist is now standing on the stage. I don't think a single man in this place could tell me her hair or eye color if I asked.

"Wow," says Sharon. "She's very pretty."

"Yeah, if you're into big breasts, ample hips, perfect legs and a face that could launch a thousand ships," I respond. Ok, I'm jealous. I couldn't look that good unless plastic surgery was involved.

She laughs and starts to answer. She's stopped by the music starting. A few bars in, and the woman starts to sing. I thought I was bad, but this woman makes me sound like Celine Dion.

Sharon and I cover our ears with our hands. Sometimes it's a real pain having sensitive hearing. That's when I notice something really strange. All of the women in the crowd have a look of absolute disgust on their faces, but the men are staring at this woman totally transfixed. All of a sudden, the men start to leave their seats and start to crowd the stage. It's like they're all sleep walking. They bump into each other and people still sitting. They run into furniture knocking tables and chairs over. I take another look at the woman on stage and I do a little "check."

I grab Sharon by the arm and my purse and start to head out the door. She pulls loose and starts to yell to be heard over the screeching coming from the stage.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"We need to get out of here," I yell back.

"Why? Because she's so bad?"

"No. Because she's not human."

Sharon stands there staring at me with her mouth hanging open. I grab her wrist and drag her outside. I continue to pull her along until we're around the corner of the building. I grab my purse and start fishing around for my cell phone. Why do they have to make these things so darn small?

"Why is there a garbage truck here?" Sharon asks.

I stop rooting around in my purse and look at her. Then I look to where she's staring and I see an all too familiar garbage truck.


	2. Feb 13 Abe

The claxon goes off shortly after 7:00. As usual, I'm the last one in the meeting room. Manning is standing at the front of the room waiting. He scowls at me when I enter, but I just ignore him and take a seat next to Hellboy.

"All right, people, listen up," Manning starts. "We have some unknown entity preying on men in Downtown Manhattan. Bodies started showing up about a week ago."

"How do we know that it's not some psychopath making the rounds?" asks Hellboy.

"Because all of the bodies are the same," Manning answers. "All of the victims died of drowning. However, there is no other cause that can be found to lead to the drowning. No blunt force trauma to the skull, no broken bones caused by falls from a substantial height, no bruising of any kind and no drugs in their systems. It's as if they fell into the water and willing drowned."

"What about suicide?" I ask.

"All the victims had what could be called happy lives," Manning replies. "They all had jobs. Some were in stable relationships and some were single. There was no sign of depression of any kind.

"What about robbery?" Myers asks.

"All the victims still had their wallets with both credit cards and cash still in them. No jewelry was reported missing," Manning responds. "Another thing that should be noted. All the victims had a look on their face like they've 'seen heaven.' The coroner's words, not mine."

"So do we have anything to go on?" asks Hellboy.

"All of the victims were last seen at karaoke bars that are all situated near water," he answers. "We've narrowed it down to three places. We'll be splitting up into teams. Hellboy and Abe will be stationed at the most central of the bars, ready to move out if this thing hits at one of the other locations. We will keep in constant radio contact. Agents Briggs and Mignola, you'll be taking target one. Agents Gordon and Levin, you'll be taking target two. Agents Palmer and Richardson, you'll be taking target three. Are there any more questions?"

After a few moments of silence, Manning nods and says, "Ok, let's move out."

Within 15 minutes, Hellboy and I are in the garbage truck and we're on our way to Manhattan. I'm actually rather glad of this since I know that's where Maggie is. She told me a while back that she'd be coming out here for her cousin's birthday. Every year they go out to dinner and then do something afterwards. Usually it's a show, but this year her cousin had something else planned. She had no idea what it was though.

"So what do you think, Blue?" asks Hellboy. "What kind of monster are we dealing with this time?"

"Hmm, I need to think," I answer. "All of the victims were last seen at bars near water and they all drowned. It could be some sort of water spirit. Let me see what I can find."

I go to the crate that contains the books on various spirits, gods and monsters and start to do some research. By the time we've reached our destination I've come up with a few ideas, but nothing solid. As we sit and wait for word of a disturbance, I continue to read. After about an hour of reading, I've got a few theories. But without more information, I'm at a stalemate. I stand and stretch.

I look over at Red. He's staring out the window at Liz, puffing on a cigar. This is the only place he can smoke those things now, since Liz banned any smoking around her. If I didn't hate those things so much, I'd feel sorry for him.

I look past him out the window. We're parked in a parking lot located beside one of the bars that we're staking out. The door to the bar faces the street and we can't see it from our position. I reach out and try and touch the minds of the people inside, just to get a feel for the mood of the people inside. What I find is confusing and a bit frightening.

"Red, something's going on inside," I say.

"Like what?" he asks turning to look at me.

"I'm not sure," I answer. "I'd have to get closer to be sure."

I look out the window and see two women come around the corner. The first one is pulling the second one along. They stop and the first one starts looking for something in her purse. The lighting is bad here, so I reach out and touch their minds. The second one is confused and a bit frightened. The one looking in her purse stops my heart.

"Red, that's Maggie out there," I say in shock.


	3. Maggie

I look around and finally find who I'm looking for.

"Come on," I tell Sharon as I quickly take off across the parking lot.

"Where are we going?" she asks as she trots along beside me.

"To see a man about a monster," I answer.

She looks at me in confusion, but before she can ask any more questions, Manning spots us and gets out of his car. He doesn't look real happy to see me, but I'm actually rather glad to see him. To be more specific, I'm glad to see he brought a certain garbage truck.

"Miss Cavendish," he starts.

"Dr. Manning," I interrupt. "There's a woman singing inside."

"That's nice, Miss Cavendish," he counter interrupts. "But since this is a karaoke bar, one would expect there to be people singing."

"You don't understand," I reply. "The men are totally entranced with her singing, but the women find it revolting."

"Well, that's unusual," he says with a rather stunned look on his face.

"Ahem," Sharon sounds.

"Oh, sorry," I tell her. "Dr. Manning, this is my cousin Sharon Mann. Sharon, this is Dr. Tom Manning."

"How do you do?" she says.

"Hi," he says.

She doesn't extend her hand because she has her arms wrapped around her. She's starting to shiver. I realize a second later, I'm doing the same thing. I was in such a rush to get out that I forgot our coats.

Manning starts talking into his wrist trying reach Agents Gordon and Levin as he walks away from us. He calls their names several times, but obviously doesn't get a response. He starts calling other agents informing them to convene at his location.

"Maggie?" Sharon asks through chattering teeth. "What's going on? How do you know this man?"

"It's a long story," I chatter back at her.

"Try me," she says. "It might keep me warm."

"Well, Dr. Manning is sort of Abe's boss," I say shivering.

Before Sharon can ask any more questions, I hear a noise coming from behind the bar and I turn toward it. It's the woman that was singing and there's a man with her. He still has the glazed over look. Then I notice that she's still 'singing.' I run over to Manning.

"Dr. Manning, there she is," I say, nodding in her direction. He turns and looks to where I'm pointing.

"Wow," is all he can seem to say when he gets a look at her. I roll my eyes. A second later, he starts walking toward the couple. "Miss? Excuse me, miss?"

"What's going on?" asks Liz from behind me.

"I'm not entirely sure," I answer.

I watch as Manning tries to engage the couple in conversation, but they ignore him and continue to walk on. Manning pulls his gun out from under his coat and orders them to freeze. Several agents start coming out of the surrounding cars and start to converge on the couple as well. All are carefully pulling their guns out of hiding.

I go back to Sharon and grab her arm.

"Come on, let's get out of here," I say.

I start to pull her away. But before we can get more than a few steps I have to put my hands over my ears again. The woman is starting to 'sing' louder. I turn and look. The agents and Manning all have that mesmerized look on their faces and they're guns are dropping from their nerveless fingers.

I look at Liz, and she as the same look of revulsion on her face as the women in the bar did. I clamp my hands down harder as the 'singing' gets louder; it's really starting to hurt. I look over at the woman and see that's she's no longer the only one 'singing.' In fact, I see several more beautiful women joining her and 'singing.' As more and more of these women 'sing,' the more pain I'm in. It's getting to the point where it's even getting hard to focus. I glance over at Sharon and see she's not doing any better. I take another look as one more beautiful creature joins the others and starts to 'sing.'

And with that I sink to the ground. I curl into a fetal position and pray for the pain to stop. I can feel tears of pain squeeze out from my tightly closed eyes. It hurts so much that I'm barely even aware that someone is picking me up and moving me.


	4. Abe

Hellboy looks out the glass.

"Where?" he asks.

"Over by the building," I answer.

"Oh, yeah," he says. "Who's the gal with her?"

"I imagine that's her cousin," I tell him.

We watch as Maggie spots the truck and looks around the parking lot. She starts heading for one of the other cars that came with us with her cousin in tow. I see her walk up to Manning as he gets out of his car. I touch her mind as she talks to him. There's a woman inside who's entranced the men with her singing, but the women are revolted by it. I quickly turn back to the books I was going through and find the one I want. After I quickly read the entry again, I start rummaging around the truck.

"Whatchya, looking for?" he asks around the butt of the cigar.

"Ear plugs," I answer without stopping my search.

"Watta need ear plugs for? Ya ain't got no ears."

"Not for me, for you," I reply as I pull open a drawer. "Ah."

I pull out my find and hand them to Hellboy. He takes the cigar out of his mouth as he takes them from me.

"So what do I need them for?" he asks.

I grab the book I was reading and hand it to him. He reads for a minute.

"Aw crap," he mutters as he starts to shove the things in his ears. "I can barely hear with these things in."

"That is the idea," I tell him physically and mentally.

I look out the glass again and see a woman with a strange man standing next to her. Manning is standing in front of them. She appears to be singing. I glance at Maggie. She and her cousin both have their hands over their ears. I see them starting to try and get away from the noise. I look back at the woman and notice that more are joining her. I look at Maggie again. She and her cousin have stopped walking and they're in obvious pain. I glance at the creatures again, and they're at least a half dozen of them. I check on Maggie again. She and her cousin are now on the ground curled up into fetal positions.

"We need to get out there," I tell Hellboy. I turn and head for the back of the truck.

"Well, if you insist," he replies. I turn and see him draw back his right hand, readying to strike the door.

"That won't be necessary," I say before he lets go.

"How else do you suggest we get out?" he asks.

"This way," I answer.

I reach behind a loose panel and push a hidden button. The ramp starts to lower a second later. I hear screeching that sounds like a combination of cats fighting and nails being run down a chalkboard. It causes a shiver to run up my spine.

"How long have you known about that button?" he growls at me.

"Always," I casually reply.

"So, why didn't you tell me about it?"

"There was no need."

He glares at me. He's thinking about all the times he "needed" it. Unfortunately for him, letting him have a new way to sneak out and see Liz doesn't fit my definition of need.

I'm down the ramp the instant it touches ground. I quickly head for Maggie and her cousin. Hellboy's right behind me.

"What's with them?" he shouts over the noise.

"Sensitive hearing," I shout back.

I bend over and pick Maggie up. Hellboy does the same with her cousin.

"Where do we take them?" he asks loudly.

"The truck," I answer.

We put them on the floor of the garbage truck and then I push the hidden button again. I jump out as the ramp starts to rise. I turn and look at what's happening.

There're now eight of these creatures screeching at the growing group of men. Not only are there the agents crowding around them, but men are starting to come out of the bar and off of the street. There are too many civilians for Hellboy to get a clear shot. He stands there with the Samaritan tightly grasped in his hand. A look of frustration is on his face.

I notice movement to my left and I look. It's Liz. Her hands are engulfed in flames, but she's not sure what she can do.

_We'll have to get closer,_ I tell them.

They nod in agreement and we start to move forward. I step into a patch of light and one of the creatures spots me. The wings that she must have had tightly tucked against her back rip through the back of her shirt leaving it in tatters. I've been expecting the wings, but I'm not expecting what happens next.

"Welcome, brother," the creature says. "Come join us in our feast."


	5. Maggie

With a click, the noise almost completely stops. I can still hear it in the distance, but it's far enough away now that it doesn't feel like my ears are about to explode. I lie there panting as the throbbing in my head slowly eases. After a while I'm able to open my eyes and see where I am.

I quickly realize that I'm in the back of the garbage truck. Sitting up, I look around and see Sharon lying on the floor next to me. She's just starting to open her eyes. She slowly sits up and looks around in bewilderment.

"Where are we?" she asks in a hushed tone.

"In the back of the garbage truck," I answer just as quietly.

She now has a look of total confusion on her face. I carefully stand up, not sure that my legs will hold me yet. I'm still feeling a bit fuzzy. I look around some more and see a window I hadn't noticed the last time I was in here. I see words written in reverse and I realize it must be a one way mirror I'm looking through.

I look past the words and see those women again, but now they're surrounded by probably close to 30 or 40 men. I can also see Liz, Abe and Hellboy between us and the crowd.

All of a sudden, one of the women takes flight. Where the heck did those wings come from? The top she had been wearing is falling off of her in tattered pieces. She's not even wearing a bra. She's heading straight for Abe. At first I'm afraid that she's about to attack him, but then I see her act in a rather inviting manner.

"Why that little…" I start to growl.

"MAGGIE!" Sharon gasps in surprise from behind me. "You weren't just about to do what I think you were about to do, were you?"

It takes my brain a moment to process that question.

"Sorry," I say sheepishly, looking back at her.

"If Grandmother was here, she'd have had washed your mouth out with soap three times over by now," she admonishes as she stands up.

"Hey, I said I was sorry," I retort.

I see Sharon look past me and at the scene outside. I see a book lying open on the counter behind her. I go over to it and look at the open page.

"What are those things?" she asks.

"Sirens," I answer and I start to read out loud. "'Sweetly singing enchantresses, part woman, part bird, who lured sailors to their doom. While their song can enchant men, it has the opposite effect on women. They are also believed to be sisters. Some say the Sirens had been given their wings in order to help Demeter search for her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by the King of the Underworld. They feed on the souls of drowned men.'"

"So what are they doing in Manhattan?" she asks.

"Why don't you go out and ask one?" I ask her sarcastically. "How should I know?"

She gives me a dirty look and then turns back to the window.

"That explains the topless women, but what about those other things?" she asks. "The red one and the blue one?"

"Um," is all I can manage to come up with in response.

How do I explain to her that one of those 'things' I happen to be engaged too? Wait a minute, did she say topless _women_? I come back to the window and look back outside.

Sure enough, there's at least a half dozen sirens surrounding Abe. Some are on the ground and the others are in the air and they're all topless. They're all reaching for him like they were his lovers. Abe at least is trying to fend them off, bless him. Hellboy and Liz look like they're trying to get clean shots at these things, but with Abe in the way, they don't dare.

I can feel the blood rising to my face. How dare they touch him? He's mine. Then one of them manages to get behind Abe and grabs him a place that only I should be allowed to touch. And that's when I lose my temper.


	6. Abe

"Thank you, but no," I tell her.

She launches herself into the air and lands in front of me. I take a step back. I have no choice but to watch her naked torso. That's where you see an attack coming from. I can see Hellboy leveling the Samaritan at her. I pray he doesn't try anything stupid.

"Come, brother, there is plenty to share," the siren croons to me.

"I'm not hungry, thanks," I say as I try to take another step back.

I hear the tearing of more fabric and soon the first siren is joined by another. This one tries to land behind me. I manage to move just as she's landing. Soon, more fabric is tearing and more join the first two. I'm surrounded by half naked sirens and I have to keep moving in order not to get caught between them. I'd run except they can fly and they keep trying to grab me. I have to keep pushing those hands away. I can see cruel talons on the end of those hands.

"Join us, brother. "Be with us, brother." "We can have such fun, brother." "We can bring you such pleasure, brother." "Do not deny us, brother." "Come play with us, brother." "Let us touch you, brother." "You must join us, brother." 

Their words jumble together as they all talk at once. It's obvious that it's not just sharing food with me that they're interested in. I continue to try and push them away and say no. The only up side to this is that only a couple of them are left 'singing.'

I pray that Maggie's not watching this. I don't want her getting mad at me again. I don't remember if Red slid the wall back in place. I hope she has the sense to stay in the truck until I come for her.

Then it finally happens. One of them manages to distract me long enough for another one to get behind me. The one behind me suddenly presses herself into me as she reaches around and grabs me. One hand grabs my abdomen and the other hand grabs much lower and in an area that's a lot more sensitive. Her talons pierce right through the foam neoprene as if it were paper.

Before I can even scream, a massive earthquake hits sending everyone to the ground. I curl into a ball as soon as I'm released from the siren's clutches. The sirens all take to the air screeching in surprise. Before they can reorganize, a sudden wind kicks up turning into a whirlwind. The vortex is so narrow and fast that the sirens are pressed together. I can see them struggling with each other to free themselves. They're clawing and tearing at one another.

I hear the Samaritan go off four times and then I feel and hear Liz's flame. I look up and see the vortex filled with writhing bodies on fire. The sight is almost blinding and their screams are deafening. I'm right below the vortex and I can feel the extreme heat that Liz is generating. I can feel my skin start to dry out, blister and crack.

Finally, the fire dies away with the screams. Soon, burnt pieces of siren are falling on the ground around me and on me. Then the pieces stop hitting me, though I can still hear them hitting the ground next to me. I feel an uncomfortable warmth above me. I look up and see Hellboy leaning over me, protecting me from the fall out. I close my eyes and I concentrate on my breathing, trying to ignore the pain I'm in. Then Red is picking me up and carrying me. I grit my teeth against the stabbing pains shooting through my body.

An eternity later, I hear the metal clang of the garbage truck ramp hitting the ground. A moment later, I'm being put down on the bench. I gasp as the pain starts anew. Then I hear the sweetest sound I've heard in a long time.

"Abe?"


	7. Maggie

I send my anger into the ground creating an earthquake almost strong enough to knock the garbage truck off of its wheels. Sharon lets out a cry of surprise as she loses her balance and starts to fall. She manages to catch herself on the counter behind me.

"What was that all about?" she demands.

I ignore her as I see the sirens take flight. I know I'm only going to get one chance at this. I pull in the wind, pushing the sirens higher and then I twist the wind around them. This vortex needs to be faster and tighter than the last one I did or else they'll escape. I'm not sure I can do it, but I have to try. Sharon comes up behind me and watches what I'm doing.

"What are you doing?" she asks.

"Help me," I say through gritted teeth.

"Why? What good will it do?"

"You're better at this than I am," I growl. "Now please help me."

"I don't see the point, but all right," she says.

I feel her power join my own. The wind gains in strength and speed.

"Please, make it faster and narrower," I tell her as I let her take control of the vortex.

"All right," she grumbles. "But I still don't see what good it will do. All we're doing is making them dizzy and angry."

I watch as Hellboy levels the Samaritan at the vortex and lets loose four rounds. As he reloads, I see Liz send her own power into the vortex. The heat generated by her and the burning bodies makes the vortex even more powerful.

"That's a Fire Mage," Sharon exclaims.

"Concentrate on the vortex," I remind her.

Finally, Liz douses her flame as the last of the sirens dies. We slowly let the wind die down and the pieces of burnt siren start to fall back to earth. I bet the smell out there must be something else, and I'm actually glad I'm in here. Then I notice Hellboy get down on his hands and knees. It looks like he's shielding something. I see something blue underneath him and my heart catches in my throat.

As the last piece of siren hits the ground, I see Hellboy pick Abe up and quickly head our way. I do a quick 'check' on the truck and find the button that opens the door. I stick my hand behind the loose panel and push the button.

"Thank goodness," says Sharon. "Now we can finally get out of here."

She starts to head for the ramp just as Hellboy appears at the bottom of it. Sharon gasps at the sight of him and Abe. I grab her arm and yank her back out of the way so Hellboy can put Abe down on the bench. I see Abe gasp and I now know why he was on the ground. The siren left puncture wounds in his abdomen and groin area. I can see his blood spilling out of the holes. One side of his body has also been badly burned. The smell of burnt fish and foam neoprene reach my nose making me want to gag as I kneel down beside him, and I don't care.

"Abe?" I quietly call his name.

I can hear my voice shaking. His eyes flutter open and he looks at me.

"Abe?" Sharon suddenly asks. "Wait a minute. You can't possible mean _that_ Abe. Can you?"

"Yes, Sharon," I answer as I look at her. "I mean _that_ Abe. Hellboy, who's the medic?"

"I am," Abe answers with a weak, pain filled voice.

I turn and look at him. Every ounce of my being is crying in pain with him. I suddenly remember something. I stand up and face Sharon.

"Please help him," I beg her.

"Are you crazy?" she asks incredulously.

"Sharon, you're an RN," I reply. "He's been badly hurt. Will you please help him?"

"I quit being a nurse when I married Ron," she counters, nervously glancing at Abe and then HB.

"So, you forgot all of your training on the wedding night?" I ask her hotly.

"No of course not," she answers. "But look at him, Maggie. He's bleeding blue."

She says that last part as a whisper.

"So I guess that makes him a true blue American," I retort hotly. "For crying out loud, Sharon, he's dying and all you can seem to think about is his color. Did you have problems dealing with patients of different ethnicity, too?"

"No, of course not," she answers, sounding peeved.

"Then help him," I beg again. "Please."

She looks at me, looks at Abe, and then looks at me again. She sighs and finally nods. She looks with barely contained fear at Hellboy.

"Are there any medical supplies in here?" she asks him.

Hellboy points to a cabinet above Abe's head.

"Thank you," she says.

She walks to the cabinet and opens it. Abe starts to tell her what shelves and drawers the items she needs are on and in. I can see her hands shaking as she pulls out the items.

"He's just another patient, Sharon," I quietly remind her.

She stops what she's doing and looks at me. After a few moments, she nods and turns back to her work with steady hands. I don't think I can handle seeing any more blood, so I turn to leave. The back of the truck is closed up and I finally notice we're moving. I've been concentrating on Abe so much that I hadn't noticed anything else that was going on.

"How long have we been in motion?" I ask Hellboy without even looking at him.

"We left shortly after Abe and I got back in," he answers.

"Oh, thank you," is all I can think to say.

I stand near the door and just stare at it. I don't dare turn around. I can hear Abe and Sharon quietly talking. I hear Hellboy rustling around in coat, looking for something. After about a minute he seems to find it. Then I hear a match light. It goes out immediately.

"Oh, come on," he complains.

"I told you can't stand the smell of those things," I remind him.

I hear Hellboy mutter something under his breath as he puts the cigar and box of matches away.

"Hey, whoa, Abe," Hellboy says in shock. "I don't think it's the right time for that. Besides, you've got the wrong girl."

Confused, I turn around and look at Abe. He's lying on the bench completely naked and he has a full erection. I feel my face turn red hot as I quickly turn back around. I imagine that my eyes must be as big as dinner plates at this point.

"Actually, it's perfectly normal," Sharon responds. "It's an automatic reaction to trauma to the body. By the way, where are we heading?"

"Jersey," Hellboy answers.

"Oh, thank you," she says. "I told my husband that I'd be home tonight. How am I to get back?"

"Can't your cousin drive you?" he asks.

"My car is back at the bar," I answer without turning around.

"Oh," he says. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure Myers or someone can give you a ride home. Where you live?"

"Central Park West," she replies.

"Nice," Hellboy says.

"Would you please lend me your coat?" she asks.

"What for?" he responds.

"I'm done," she answers. "I'd like to cover him up now."

"Ok, sure," he says.

I hear the snap of latex gloves coming off as Hellboy takes his duster off.

"Thank you," Sharon says.

A few moments later, she's standing next to me.

"You can go see him now," she tells me.

"Thank you," I say. "I owe you."

"You owe me an invitation to the wedding," she responds.

I quietly chuckle as I walk toward the back of the truck. Abe is now mostly covered with Hellboy's coat. The burned areas have been left exposed to the air. I'm afraid to touch him, so I just sit on the floor next to him leaning my head against the cool metal bench. He starts to stroke my hair and that's when the silent tears finally come.


	8. Maggie

**Author's note**: We're going to assume that Abe makes it to the medical wing of the BPRD without incident and is now resting comfortably in the med tank.

* * *

"So you want to explain all of this to me?" Sharon asks hotly.

We're walking down the hall toward the library. I figure that's probably the least disturbing place in here, and it might give Sharon a chance to calm down before we head back to Manhattan. I checked with John, but he can't drive us back until Manning gives him the green light. Unfortunately, Manning is still back at the bar dealing with all of the civilians that saw Hellboy, Abe and Liz. So now we wait for his return.

"I told you it was complicated," I remind her as we go through the last set of doors and into the library.

Sharon's train of thought is slightly derailed as she takes in the shear size of the place. She looks around in wonder for a few minutes. She finally spots the tank.

"Is that where he…?" she half asks, pointing at the glass.

"That's Abe's tank," I answer. "This is where we first met. I came in here looking for a phone, and there he was. The most incredible being I had ever seen."

"That's how I felt when I first saw Ron," she says quietly.

"Since it doesn't look like Manning's going to be back any time soon, I might as well tell you the story," I tell her.

I take a seat facing away from the tank. Looking at it reminds me of where he is and why he's there. I wait for Sharon to take a seat and then I start. I tell her everything that's gone on for the last seven months of my life involving the BPRD. While I'm talking, Hellboy walks in.

"I'm a little confused," she says at the end of my narration.

"About what?" I ask.

"Well, you said that the world was almost destroyed by some guy that was going to sacrifice the Fire Mage," she starts.

"Yes?" I prompt her.

"Why did he want to destroy the world in the first place?" she asks. "I mean, I know the world isn't a perfect place, but still, what is there to gain by destroying it?"

"You know, I have no idea why he wanted to destroy the world," I answer. I turn to Hellboy. "Were you able to get a reason out of him?"

"Nope," he says. "After we were done beating up the monsters, we went looking for the guy and he was gone. Abe was never able to get any info on the guy either. The sword disappeared, too."

"Thank you for telling me," I reply. "There's a good chance this guy will try something else, isn't there?"

"Oh, yeah," he answers. "That's the story of my life."

At this point Manning comes charging in with John in his wake.

"Tell me, Miss Cavendish," Manning starts hotly, "how many more family members do you intend to bring in here?"

"From what I understand, Dr. Manning," I reply, "_you _were the one who brought my grandmother here. I was definitely in no condition to bring anyone anywhere at that time."

"Yes, but you're the one who brought in your uncle and cousin," he points out.

"Technically, Guillermo is not my uncle. He's just an old family friend that I called uncle as a child and I've never seen a reason to change that," I tell him. "As for Sharon, I'm not the one who stuck us in the back of the garbage truck. But if it hadn't been for her, Abe would be in even worse shape than he is in now."

"Excuse me, Dr. Manning," John intercedes. "But it is getting late, and the ladies have requested to be taken home."

"Very well, if you must," he replies grumpily. "This still isn't over, Miss Cavendish."

"Is it ever over?" I rhetorically ask his retreating back. "Hellboy, be so kind as to tell Abe that I'll be back tomorrow. I guess I'm going to have to fill out more paper work."

"Hey, not a problem," he says as he takes a cigar out of his duster. I look at him and he stares back with those glowing yellow eyes. "You're leaving, right?"

"But I'm not," says Guillermo as he comes in from the upper area. "You smoke that foul thing in here and I'll tie your tail in a knot."

"What is it with you two and tying my tail in a knot?" he snarls as he stalks out of the room.

"Ladies," John says. "The car is this way."

John drops Sharon off at her apartment building and me off at my hotel, where I have yet another dream about Abe.


	9. Abe

I'm swimming in open water. There are no walls around me. I am enjoying the freedom when I'm suddenly grabbed from behind. I try to break free, but I can't. I feel arms wrap around my torso. I look over my shoulder to see Maggie's smiling face. Then I feel her hands start to caress my chest and stomach. I relax into her. Her hands travel lower, and I can feel my body respond to her gentle touch. She softly strokes me and I can feel her lips on my back and shoulder. I let out a low moan. She floats around to face me. She presses her lips to mine and wraps her legs around me. She starts to lower herself.

"Abe, are you all right?" Dr. Jones asks. "You're heart rate and blood pressure just went through the roof."

I open my eyes and look at him. He's staring at me and he's totally unaware of the dream he's just disrupted. My body, however, is totally aware of the dream I just had. The device that is on the lower part of my anatomy is encased is even more constricting that foam neoprene.

"I'm ok, doctor," I answer as I try and will my blood back to where it's supposed to be.

"Well, since I'm already here, I might as well check you," he says.

He asks all the usual questions. Then he checks the read outs on the monitors and makes notes on my sheet.

"Do you need anything for the pain?" he finally asks.

Now that the adrenalin has worn off, I can start feeling the pain of my wounds again. I hate taking drugs since it plays havoc with my abilities, but I can feel the pain quickly escalating.

"Yes, please," I answer.

"Ok, I'll send the nurse in momentarily," he says.

He leaves and a short time later the nurse comes in with the dose. She administers it through a special tube that's connected to the healing device attached to me. In a little bit, my awareness starts to fade and I fall into a dreamless sleep.

I awaken to the sound of keyboard keys clicking. I groggily open my eyes. Maggie is sitting on a stool at the table in the middle of the room. She's wearing headphones that are plugged into the laptop that she's typing on. I can faintly hear music coming from the headphones.

Instead of disturbing her, I just float there and watch. I notice the way the light plays on her hair catching the red highlights, the color of her eyes, the arch of her eyebrow, the line of her nose, the curve of her lips.

_How beautiful_, I think.

Maggie suddenly jumps, startled. She turns and looks at me. She smiles as she takes the headphones off. I can hear the music a little louder now.

"What's beautiful?" she asks.

"You are," I tell her.

She ducks her head a little, looking down. I see her smile get a little bigger and her cheeks are turning pink. She gets off of her stool and starts walking toward me.

"Thank you," she says.

"You're welcome," I reply. "I wasn't even aware that I said that out loud."

"You didn't," she responds laying a hand on my tank. "I heard it in my head."

I place my hand opposite of hers. I can get some images and feelings, but it's all one big jumble right now. The drugs are still interfering with my abilities.

"How are you feeling?" she asks. I can see the worry in her eyes.

"Like shish ka bob," I joke, "skewered and seared."

The sadness in her eyes just about breaks my heart. I want to hold and comfort her, but I can't while I'm in here. All I can do is move closer to the glass. She rests her forehead and her other hand against the glass and closes her eyes. I mirror her from my side. I hear someone enter and then leave, but I ignore whoever it was.

"The others are going to be here soon," she quietly says.

"The debriefing," I respond. She nods.

"Manning has been waiting for you to wake up," she tells me.

"That's usually the case," I say. She starts to pull away. "Please, don't go yet."

She leans against the glass again and I stay with her. She finally steps away as the first person for the meeting arrives. It's John. Maggie returns to her stool and clicks on a few more keys before closing it. In short order, everyone arrives and the room is soon filled to capacity.

Manning walks in with his usual air of superiority and takes a position at the other end of the room from my tank. He starts the meeting with the usual stuff: going over all the things that went wrong with the mission, the clean up detail, dealing with the civilians that saw us. This time he used the excuse that it was a publicity stunt for some company. Better than telling them the truth, I suppose. Finally, we get to talking about the sirens themselves.

"Now, we've been trying to figure out why the sirens were in Manhattan to begin with, but we're still drawing a blank on that," says Manning. "Since all of the sirens were destroyed, we can't ask them. We still haven't ruled out an outside force bringing them here."

"They were hungry," I say.

Everyone turns and looks at me. Manning scowls at me.

"What makes you say that?" he demands.

"It's what I picked up from the one that grabbed me," I answer. "Since ships now have the wheels inside the pilot house, their singing has no effect on the helmsmen. The few boats that they were able to wreak had very few people on it. They can only affect men, so if women are on board, the boat got away. They moved on in search of more fertile waters, but encountered the same problem everywhere they went. They eventually adapted to the changing times. Karaoke bars are perfect venues for them. It allows them to entice several men at once. Usually, they hit several bars at the same time finding at least one willing victim at each bar. They work an area for a short time and then they usually move on. Since Manhattan is so large, the temptation was too great for them, and they stayed longer than normal."

"Oh," says Manning. "Very well then. Meeting dismissed. Miss Cavendish, I would like to speak to you."

People start to leave. A few of the agents stop by and say "hi." Guillermo, Hellboy and Liz hang back as the last of the regular agents leaves. Maggie is still sitting on the stool, patiently waiting.

"Miss Cavendish, if you would please follow me to my office," Manning says waving a hand toward the door.

"No," she responds. Manning looks at her with a rather startled look on his face. Maggie points over her shoulder at us. "They're going to know what we talk about the instant I walk out of your office, so lets just skip making me repeat everything."

"Very well," says Manning. He doesn't look happy. "Miss Cavendish, you have taken to treating the BPRD as a second home, and I must say I'm not happy with this. You come and go whenever you please. You throw parties without prior approval. You have even pulled a certain agent away from his duties for your own pleasures.

"I was unaware that my comings and goings were causing you such distress. For that I do apologize," Maggie says. "The party was a whim of the moment thing and it cost the bureau nothing more than the use of some of the muscles of agents that were otherwise unoccupied. The food, decorations and tree were all purchased by me. I have not heard a single complaint from any of those who attended. You were invited, Dr. Manning. The fact that you decided not attend was your decision. As for that 'certain agent,' as you most assuredly are aware, we are engaged to be married. So, I hope you will find it understandable that we want to spend time together."

"But to take him all the way to your home when he might be needed here?" he demands.

"I've never taken Abe out of headquarters," she answers. "He found his own way each time he came to visit. Dr. Manning, as I've stated before, if they goes into a controlled situation, why shouldn't Abe and Hellboy be allowed to leave headquarters? I don't expect you to let them stroll down Main Street, but they should be allowed to have some freedoms. Even inmates on death row are allowed out of their cells every once and a while."

"There's plenty for them here," Manning counters. "They don't need to go wandering around."

"A gilded cage is still a cage, Dr. Manning," she reminds him. "It's just prettier to look at. If it were true that they have everything they need here, then why do they keep leaving? From what I understand there's a certain agent who used to make it a habit to go out on little forays on a regular basis."

"Yes, well that seems to have finally ended," Manning growls throwing a rather nasty look at Hellboy. "I can't just let them go wandering out whenever their hearts desire it."

"I understand that," she replies. "But you can't keep them locked in here forever either. They're not going to stand for it. And quite frankly, there's really no way you can truly stop them. No matter how carefully you try to monitor them, they will get out if they want to."

"Well, your house is not an acceptable place," he argues.

"Why not?" she counters. "It's secluded, it can't be seen from the road, and I'll know if anyone comes onto the property. Quite frankly, I think it sounds like the perfect place."

"What about paparazzi?" he continues. "They'd just love to get a shot of Abe."

"That's if there were any paparazzi that were still interested in me," she tells him. "They gave up following me around years ago. Why follow around someone who's only interested in helping abused animals when you can follow Paris Hilton around? Dr. Manning, you need to get past your prejudices and realize that Abe and Hellboy deserve the same rights as you or I."

Manning stands there dumbfounded. I can tell he's about to try banning her from the bureau again when the claxon goes off.

"Code Red. Code Red."

"Why don't you sit this one out, Blue?" Hellboy jokingly says as he, Liz and Manning quickly leave. Maggie comes over to my tank and rests her hand on it.

"I'll see you later, love," she says.

She doesn't say the rest of what she wants to say, but I pick it up anyways. Happy Valentine's Day. Today's Valentine's Day? Guillermo is the last one to leave.

"Guillermo," I call after him.

"Yes, Abe?" he says, coming back into the room.

"Could you help me with something?" I ask.

"It depends on what it is," he answers. "What do you need help with?"

I tell him, and devilish smile crosses his face.

"I think I can manage something," he says. "Let me see what I can do."

Dr. Jones comes in to check on me as Guillermo leaves. Shortly after that, I'm given another dose of pain medication and I drift off to sleep again.


	10. Maggie

I walk into the library and quickly find my man.

"Hola, Maggie," Guillermo says without looking up from what he's doing.

"Hola, Uncle," I respond.

"Is there something you need?" he asks, finally putting down what he was working on.

"I need your help," I answer.

"For what?" he asks.

"I just talked to Dr. Jones," I start. "He thinks Abe can come out of the medical tank in a couple of days."

"Yes, I know," he replies.

"Well, I want to do something for him," I continue. "He's managed to surprise me twice now, and I've only gotten him once. And besides, it's Valentine's Day. He deserves to finally be able to celebrate this day."

"What did you have in mind?" he asks.

I quickly outline my plan. He gets a very big grin on his face.

"I'm more than willing to help," he tells me.

"But…?" I prompt him.

"But let's not forget that Abe is a telepath," he says. "So don't be surprised if I have to make a few changes to the plan."

"That's ok, Uncle," I tell him. "I trust you to make everything perfect."

"Not that there's any pressure," he kids me. "I'll do everything in my power to make sure you two have a wonderful evening."

"Thank you, Uncle," I say as I kiss him on the cheek. "You're an angel."

"You're welcome, Maggie," he says as he gives me a one armed hug. "You had better get going; I have a lot of work to do."

"Ok, I'll see you later then," I reply. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I will, don't worry," he laughs as he shoos me out the door.

I leave, satisfied that Abe is going to get a wonderful Valentine's Day present. It may be a couple of days late, but it should be wonderful none the less.


	11. Guillermo

**Author's Note**: It seems I left Guillermo in a bit of a conundrum. Let's see how he handles it.

I watch as Maggie leaves the library. What have I gotten myself into? They both want to surprise each other and I don't want to disappoint them or betray their trust in me. So, what can I do?

Ok, they're both expecting to use the library, but that's going to be right out. Too many people come through here, and that stupid claxon is always going off at odd times. It would be nice if the monsters of the universe would stick to a 9 to 5 schedule, but they don't.

So where can I put them where they won't be disturbed? And then it hits me, the perfect place. Now the only problem now is getting them there without either one of them catching on. At that precise moment, an agent walks in with my dinner.

"Mike, are you busy right now?" I ask him as he sets the tray down.

"No, why?" he responds.

"I need you to do me a favor," I say. "I need you to buy some stationary with matching envelopes, preferably something with hearts on it. And once you get it, I would like you to keep it in your quarters."

"Ok, but why?" he asks.

"I can't tell you that right now," I answer. "Can you do it?"

"Yeah, sure," he says.

"Great," I tell him as I pull out my wallet. "Here's money for the stationary. Please, let me know when you get back."

As soon as he's gone, I start composing the notes that will need to be written. I finish writing just as Mike returns. I hand him my notes as he hands me my change.

"Do me a favor, type these up on a computer, and then print them on the stationary" I instruct him. "Then put them in the envelopes. Makes sure you label the envelopes as I have written here and that you get the correct note in each envelope."

"Ok," he says. "Are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

"Not yet," I answer. "I'll tell you later, I swear."

"Ok," he says with a shrug and walks out of the library.

After he's gone, I make a few phone calls. Then I head for the kitchen to make preparations for the perfect dinner. When I finally fall into bed that night, I'm so busy going over the plans in my head that I don't even notice the normal ache in my leg. When I finally do fall asleep, it's with the plan firmly set in my mind.


	12. Abe and Maggie

**ABE**

I'm finally released from the medical wing. It's been two days since I've seen either Maggie or Guillermo. I know that Guillermo is busy making plans because he kept sending Agent Mignola in every once in a while to ask me questions. But now I'm free to oversee the final preparations.

I get dressed in my new dry land gear. As I'm about to leave, I notice an envelope with red and pink hearts lying on the table. It's addressed to me. I open the envelope and pull out a piece of stationary that matches the envelope and read it.

_Love in the library, quiet and cool_

_Love in the library, there are no rules_

_Surrounded by stories surreal and sublime_

_I fell in love in the library once upon a time _

Ok, that's odd. I know that Agent Mignola typed it, but I don't know why and neither did he. I head for the library, my curiosity piqued.

**MAGGIE**

I pull into a parking space at headquarters. Guillermo called a while ago saying that Abe was to be released shortly. I head for the lobby excited to see what Guillermo came up with for my surprise for Abe. I stand on the emblem in the middle of the floor and wait for it to lower.

"I have something for you, Miss Cavendish," the guard behind the desk says.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It's a letter of some kind," he answers holding up an envelope.

I walk over and take it from him, thanking him. Then I open the envelope with pink and red hearts on it and read the typed note on the matching stationary inside.

_When this old world starts a getting me down_

_And people are just too much for me to face_

_I'm gonna climb way up to the top of the stairs_

_And all my cares just drift right into space_

"Is there a roof access around here?" I ask the guard.

"Yes, miss, there is," he answers.

He gives me directions and then I head for the roof. What is this all about? I'm intrigued.

**ABE**

I open the latest in a series of mysterious letters, all on the same heart covered stationary. I already hold four other letters that have taken me to the library, the meeting room, Hellboy's bedroom, and the kitchen respectively. I read the latest one.

_Take my hand and lead me_

_To the garden of delight_

_Take my hand and lead me_

_To the garden of delight_

I go up the back way up to street level. Once there, I head for what I hope is my final destination.

**MAGGIE**

I pull the envelope that's been taped to the stall door down and open it. I hold four of its sisters in my hand. So far I've been to the roof, the cafeteria, an empty office and the ladies bathroom. I open this one up and read it.

_Take my hand and lead me_

_To the garden of delight_

_Take my hand and lead me_

_To the garden of delight_

I head for the front desk again. I'm sure the guard is getting pretty sick of me by this point.

"There wouldn't, perchance, be a garden around here somewhere, would there?" I ask the poor guy.

"Yes, miss, there is," he answers.

He doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered by the fact that I keep asking him for directions. He gives me directions to what I hope is my final destination.

**ABE**

I quietly walk through the dark, silent hallways toward the center of the building the outside world sees. I'm sure that they would never imagine that in the middle of this rather dull and ordinary building is an open garden. I've always known it was here, but I've never had reason to visit it before.

I finally reach the final hallway. At the other end is a door, and as I approach it, I can see the word "ATRIUM" printed on it. I open the door and behold a spectacular sight.

**MAGGIE**

I follow the directions the guard gave me. I go deeper and deeper into the building. The halls are dark and quiet and a bit more than a little spooky. I do a quick "check," but there's no one here that I can feel. Eventually, I make the final turn and come to a door with "ATRIUM" printed on it. I open it, and behold the most magical of scenes.

**Disclaimer:**

I do not own the rights of the lyrics from any of the songs I've posted.

Up on the Roof by James Taylor

Love in the Library by Jimmy Buffett

Garden of Delight by UK Mission


	13. Maggie

I step through the door into an open courtyard. There's a pathway that leads around an expanse of grass. In the center of the lawn is a large willow tree. At the base of the tree I can see lights floating around. Those floating lights illuminate what looks to be some sort of basket sitting at the base of the tree.

I carefully step over the decorative border and carefully walk toward the lights. I see movement on the other side of the lawn and I stop. It's Abe. I run through the lights and into his open arms. His kiss feels as good as I remember. I could stay like this forever.

"OW!" I yell. I grab the back of my head and look around. "Something just pulled my hair."

"There's no one here but us," Abe says softly into my ear.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, if I were you, love," I reply.

I take a step toward the floating lights only to have one of them dart toward me. I hold my hand out and the light lands in my hand. Abe looks over my shoulder to get a better look at the glowing miniature human like creature with tiny gossamer wings standing on my hand.

"I'd love to know where Guillermo got his hands on fairies," I quietly chuckle.

The fairy takes off and starts circling the basket I had seen earlier. It's joined by others a moment later. It's a picnic basket. I finally notice that it's sitting on a large red and white checkered blanket. My stomach growls and I head toward the basket.

"You know, this isn't exactly what I had in mind when I told Uncle I wanted to surprise you," I say.

I shrug off my jacket, pull off my boots and toss them off to the side. Hitching up the front of my skirt a little, I kneel down on the blanket and open the basket. When Abe doesn't join me, I turn and look back up at him.

"You wanted to surprise me," he says, not quite making it a question.

"Yes," I reply.

I'm looking at him quizzically as he kneels down beside me. He's quietly chuckling.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"I wanted to surprise you, too," he answers. "I asked Guillermo for help."

I start laughing. The fairies start zipping about, startled by my laughter. I pull the five envelopes from my pocket and hold them up. He shows me his.

"I guess Uncle surprised both of us," I say smiling.

"I guess so," he replies. "What's for dinner?"

"Let's see," I answer.

I look back into the basket.

"Sushi," I say. I look at a ceramic bottle tucked into the basket. "My Japanese is pretty much non-existent, but I'm guessing this is saki. Have you ever had saki?"

"No, I haven't," he answers.

"Well, there's a first for everything," I tell him. I look back in the basket and pull out a couple of plates and cups. "I don't see any utensils."

He pulls out several thin sticks that are about six inches long.

"Either those are really fat toothpicks or they're chop sticks," I answer. "Do you know how to use chop sticks?"

"No," he replies.

"Great," I say as I gleefully toss them back into the basket. "That makes two of us. There's nothing wrong with using fingers."

I proceed in serving out our dinner and pouring the drinks. I hand Abe his drink and dinner and then I sit down at the base of the tree, smoothing out my skirt. Abe nestles down beside me. He holds his cup toward me and I raise mine in kind.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," I respond.

We briefly kiss, touch cups and then take a sip. The taste causes shivers to run down my spine. After I finally manage to shake off the effects of the saki, I turn and look at Abe. The nictitating membranes are rapidly crossing his eyes.

"If that doesn't cause your scales to stand on end, I'm not sure what will," I tease him.

"I don't think I particularly like saki," he says.

"Good," I tell him. I take his cup from him and put both cups off to the side. "I was never a big fan of it either."

"And you didn't warn me?" he asks.

"Hey, who's the mind reader here?" I counter. "Besides, you like rotten eggs. Who's to say whether or not you'd like saki?"

"Point taken," he replies. He looks at his plate. "What about this stuff?"

"Well, I like sushi," I answer. I hold up a piece. "Here, try this one."

He opens his mouth and takes the piece into his mouth, catching my fingers in his mouth in the process. I gasp as goose bumps run up my arm. I quickly pull my hand back before he can try anything else. I'm not sure if the one sip of saki or the fact that I haven't eaten yet is the reason I'm feeling light headed, but I think eating right now might be the more prudent thing to do. It wouldn't do to pass out tonight.

"It's different," he whispers in my ear. More goose bumps. "But I think I could get used to it."

I quickly eat a piece to stop myself from doing anything. I can hear him chuckling beside me. The beast knows how he's affecting me, and he thinks it's funny. I settle back against the tree and keep eating, ignoring him.

I hear a click and a hiss. I look over at Abe and watch as he carefully removes his respirator. After he's removes the final piece, he leans against the tree next to me and wraps an arm around me. He starts to eat his dinner and we sit there in comfortable silence. When I'm done, I sit and watch the fairies chasing each other around, making dizzying designs in the air. As I watch them, I realize something.

"Why aren't I cold?" I ask. "I'm sitting in a garden in the middle of February, and I'm not freezing. For that matter, where's the snow?"

"There's a skylight over us," he answers. "That way the atrium can be used all year round."

"Smart," I reply.

I feel him take my plate off of my lap. He puts them off to the side and pulls me closer. I look up at him as he brings his lips to mine. I breathe in the smell of him. I can taste the salty flavor of soy sauce on his lips. I lick it off and the tip of his tongue touches mine. My mind goes blank.

"OW!" I yell.

Rubbing the back of my head, I turn and look at the little culprits who yanked my hair again. They're flying around the basket again. I pull the basket over to us and look in.

"There's something on the bottom," I say.

I pull out a couple of gold boxes tied up with gold ribbon. I look at the tags on the top and hand one to Abe. I open the one addressed to me. Inside is a heart shaped box made of dark chocolate. I open the chocolate box and find mini truffles nestled inside. I can feel my salivary glands go into overdrive.

I look over at Abe. He has a chocolate heart made of white chocolate in his hands. He takes the lid off and inside are little green eggs. He picks one up.

"They're made of chocolate," he says, bemused.

"Chocolate rotten eggs," I quietly laugh.

He pops one into his mouth. He tilts his head to one side.

"They don't taste like rotten eggs," he tells me.

"I certainly hope not," I laugh.

He picks one of the truffles out of my box and holds it up for me. I open my mouth and he puts it in. I close my lips before his fingers can escape. I can hear a deep rumbling in his chest as I start to suck on my captives. I barely even notice the chocolate one my tongue.

He finally pulls his fingers free. He puts his dessert down to the side. Taking mine from me, he puts it down next to his. Then he gets up and moves the basket off of the blanket. I know what's coming and I'm shaking with anticipation.

He sits further from the tree and holds his arms out to me. I move closer. I feel him pull my skirt higher. His hand gets underneath it and starts to caress my thigh. My breathing becomes a bit erratic as I start to unbuckle his top.

A short time later, it's off of him. He grabs the bottom of my sweater and pulls it off. He slowly traces by bra strap from the shoulder down my front with his finger tips. I'm trembling so hard that I'm surprised when I manage to get his shorts unzipped. I try removing them, but they just won't come off. I hear him chuckle in my ear as he continues to play with the lace of my bra.

"You have to peel them off," he breathes into my ear.

I grab the waist band and start putting action to words. I get the shorts half way down his hips. Suddenly, my bra is gone and I'm on my back. He's partially pinning me down, kissing me, and running his hand over my chest. I moan with desire as I touch his gills. His hand is up my skirt and trying to pull off my nylons. When he fails to have any luck, he stops the kissing and looks at me. It's my turn to chuckle.

"You have to peel them off," I whisper.

Both of his hands are under my skirt and grabbing the top of my nylons when I hear the hissing. I get all of a second to wonder what the hissing is about before we're hit with the water from the sprinklers.

"AAAHHHH!" I coherently scream.

Before I know it, Abe is putting me down on the path that goes around the lawn. I 'm naked from the waist up and now I'm wet and cold. I start to shiver as Abe goes and retrieves first my clothes, then the basket, blanket and food, and finally his gear.

I start putting my damp clothes back on as soon as I get them. I finish as Abe returns from his last trip. I notice his shorts are zipped back up, so much for all my work. He steps up to me and takes me into his arms again. He's wet, but since he's kissing me again, I don't care.

"So, now what?" he asks as he starts to nibble on my ear.

"I know where there's an empty office," I gasp.

Just then the door across the atrium bangs open. I jump and do a quick "check."

"John," Abe and I mutter at the same time.

Johns spots us and comes hurrying over.

"Abe, a red alert has been called," John starts without preamble. "Manning's about to blow a gasket wondering where you are."

"That man needs a hobby," I growl.

Abe chuckles as he hands me my box of chocolates.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," he says as he kisses me goodbye.

"Happy Valentine's Day," I respond.

A moment later, he and John disappear through the door John came through. As I'm about to exit, I turn and take one last look. The fairies are up in the willow tree making it look like stars have landed in the branches. A truly magical scene.

THE END


End file.
